Mistletoe
by ArtemisApollo97
Summary: Leo Valdez is love-struck and has hopes the holiday season will give him some luck. He doesn't get luck. He gets something much more frightening.


**Another Christmas one-shot, because I didn't feel happy with the other one!**

 **I own nothing, but my OC. This is pre-Leoisa, say they're about seventeen-eighteen.**

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"He's at it again." Piper pointed. "He's going to get himself killed." She added, spurring the others to look round. Percy frowned disapprovingly, earning similar looks in response. Leo had his heart set on Louisa. He also had a sprig of mistletoe in hand. "I'll miss him." Piper sighed dramatically. "If anything, I'll miss his cooking."

"I see you have your priorities straight." Hazel smiled. Piper grinned wickedly. "Do you think we should help?" She asked, looking up at Frank- the only sympathetic one.

"Normally, I would. But he's going after Lou. I'm not that brave. Or stupid."

"Poor Leo." Hazel said quietly. Leo had caught up with Louisa now, cheekily knocking the basketball from her hands and waving the mistletoe over his head. Louisa simply crossed her arms, adjusting her stance as if to say 'seriously?' Leo shrugged good-naturedly, hands out. He said something, giving an elfish smile. The mistletoe spun in his fingers, right in her face. She went cross-eyed to frown at it and then back to usual to frown at him. All but Percy watched with desperation- Leo was going to die and only the protective big brother seemed happy about it.

Louisa jabbed Leo in the chest, a foul dismissal framing her lips. Leo's smile broadened and he leaned in. Louisa instinctively leant back, maintaining a fierce glower against his merry gaze.

"Just one little kiss," he said, "it's not going to kill you."

"It'll kill you."

"That's just your violent nature." He shook his head, daring to brush the leaves of the festive death trap on her nose. Louisa took a step back, fists clenching and unclenching. Leo didn't move except to teasingly flourish the plant once more. She took another step back, considered him for a moment and started walking away. "Hey, that's just rude!" Leo protested. When she didn't even glance back, he started after her. "Where's your Christmas spirit, huh? Dirty little Scrooge." He taunted cheerily, sticking his tongue out. Still, she ignored him. Leo could have sworn she was a little pinker than before, but that might be the effort it was taking to not strangle him. "I'll leave you alone," he tried, "it's Christmas, don't be such a sour puss." He squinted at her, trying to gauge what she was thinking. Her expression, unfortunately, was carefully blank. Leo slowed down, a bit put out. He knew she loved Christmas, hoping that would sway her mind on this particular tradition. He was really running out of ideas now.

Leo stopped. "Poohead." He muttered. Her gait didn't even falter. Inspiration struck him like lightning. "Chicken." He accused. She jolted to a halt. Her incessant need to win was her highest downfall and Leo knew this better than anyone else. "Chicken." Leo said again. "You're just too scared to admit you love me really."

"Uh oh." Piper pressed her fingers to her mouth. "Oh, he may as well dig himself a grave at this rate."

"Break him." Percy said at the same time. "Break him, Lou. Snap his legs off."

"I worry about you." Annabeth admitted. Percy said nothing, watching his sister intently. Her shoulders were hunched- as much as she wanted to punch Leo in the face right now, she knew he was only being like this because… well, it was Leo and it was Christmas and Leo _at_ Christmas was, apparently, highly annoying and not very subtle with his hints. Louisa wouldn't even call them hints; more like sheer Valdez desperation.

Leo gave the mistletoe another mischievous shake, smiling in an equal manner. Louisa glared at him, nails digging into her palms. Percy was encouraging her to "Break him, break him, break him" under his breath, ignoring his girlfriend's tutting and eye-rolling.

"What's the matter, Lou? Can't do it? I thought as mu- _mmph_!" Leo suddenly felt like he was going to explode. The others gaped.

Louisa had grabbed Leo by the front of his jacket and yanked him forward. Leo had only been trying for a kiss on the cheek, not expecting to get anything more, if anything at all. A full-on kiss, on the lips… safe to say, his brain had officially stopped working. As had all his other internal organs.

She shoved him away and then walked off. Leo couldn't remember how to breathe. Percy could only remember how to swear colourfully. Hazel told him off for this while Piper seemed to be having her own meltdown. Other campers were gawking. Any previous movement catching some off guard. One was hit with a basketball in the face; someone else tripped over their shoelaces; Piper's siblings had completely shut down, at least five of them lay on the floor, completely overwhelmed; new campers running through crashed into Leoisa-struck victims and people just toppled.

Chiron ventured out of the Big House, wondering why in the name of all the gods his camp had suddenly fallen so deathly quiet. He tried waving his hand in a few demigods' faces, calling out, looking around for a culprit.

He spotted Leo in the centre, shell-shocked and red-faced. Of course. _Valdez_.

"Leo, what happened?" Chiron demanded, gripping the boy's shoulder. Leo spluttered and shoved mistletoe into his mentor's hand. "Um, no thank you."

"Diablo." Leo told the plant.

"Excuse me?" Chiron was completely baffled. He didn't get full answers, until a few hours later, at dinner. Funnily enough, Louisa was nowhere to be found.

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 **Best of Christmas wishes to you all! Have a good one! ^_^**


End file.
